Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Students Conclude Around-the-World Voyage at Port of San Diego

Tuesday, 14 December 2010
Contact: Dale Frost (619) 686-6461

Nobel Peace Prize recipient Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and more than 600 college students concluded an around-the-world voyage aboard Semester at Sea's "floating university" on Dec. 13, 2010, when the MV Explorer docked at the Port of San Diego.

The archbishop and students gathered on the outside decks of the vessel as it transited San Diego Bay and docked at the B Street Pier Cruise Ship Terminal, wrapping up the 108-day voyage that included visits to ports in 11 countries.

Parents and families of the students gathered along the North Embarcadero, cheering the circumnavigators and waving welcoming signs, some reading "Welcome Home Global Citizen," "We Missed You," and "K.T. Get off the Ship. I'm out of money."

"It's an edifying and life-changing experience for the students," said Catherine Rodgers, whose daughter Katie was aboard. Rodgers has served as a guest lecturer on previous voyages.

Archbishop Tutu and his wife, Leah, were on board for the entire voyage.

"I've had the good fortune to be a small part of this wonderful experiment in education," said Archbishop Tutu, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his work to end apartheid.

He spoke to students in a series of onboard lectures about life in South Africa and making a difference in the world.

Archbishop Tutu serves as a Senior Statesman in Residence for the Semester at Sea program. He helped launch the organization's Desmond Tutu Distinguished Chair in Global Understanding, a program that honors his lifelong contributions to global awareness and intercultural understanding.

While on board, Archbishop Tutu mingled with faculty, staff and students. He celebrated his 79th birthday aboard MV Explorer while in South Africa in October, 2010.

"Call me Arch," the archbishop told the students, who are from colleges throughout the country. There were 69 students from San Diego area colleges and universities, including 50 from the University of San Diego.

While traveling, the students complete a full semester curriculum and learn first-hand about different cultures and living conditions.

The archbishop said during the course of the voyage that he saw the students gain an understanding of different cultures while volunteering to help others in schools and orphanages.

On this voyage, Semester at Sea's 103rd, MV Explorer visited Spain, Morocco, Ghana, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Singapore, Vietnam, China, and Japan before docking in Hawaii. It then crossed the Pacific Ocean to San Diego. The trip began in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in August, 2010.

This was Archbishop Tutu's third voyage.

The Semester at Sea program began in 1963 and is based out of the University of Virginia.

Semester at Sea is a U.S. global study abroad program that has taken more than 50,000 students and " Lifelong Learners" (adults) around the world.